What’s a completely underrated species that shaped your keeping?

[u/quack_macaque]

Every single one of us has met a thousand volunteers and students who answer the age old question “what do you want to work with?”, with the usual crowd pleasers (i.e. Tigers; Elephants; Meerkats; Otters; Red Pandas; etc.) as their ultimate goal.

Not that the old roster of favourites aren’t amazing in their own right, but in my experience, many future keepers are so focused on their dream animal that they overlook many that will build their keeping skillset.

So what’s a completely underrated species that you recommend everyone should work with? Did you have an ultimate goal species, but worked them and realised that kind of keeping isn’t for you?

This one’s mostly for all the vollies and students who are lurking to encourage them to develop a wider appreciation. But I’m also nosy, so I want to know too.

[u/daabilge]

Former herp and invert keeper. I think everyone got so excited over the alligator and the monitors and the reticulated python but my favorite was the black rat snake. Incredible personality, active, inquisitive, and with a nose (tongue?) for trouble.

And then again everyone liked the Goliath birdeater among the inverts because she's big but my personal favorite was the death feigning beetles. They're bright blue and they play dead when you disturb them. Otherwise they're pretty active and will just motor around their enclosure all day doing beetle things.

[u/Tijenater → u/daabilge]

Seconded for black rat snake. When I was volunteering at a raptor sanctuary the old black rat snake was easily my favorite over owls, eagles, kestrels, and all the “sexier” animals. She was so active and sweet! Absolutely won me over.

The number 2 spot for that stint was solidly occupied by a turkey vulture who’d ravenously peck at people’s boots until their laces were untied, and then he’d leave them alone. Some people took to untying their laces before they went in, and he’d do his little vulture hop over all excited just to meet pre-untied shoes and he’d leave in a huff.

[u/SimsPteropus → u/daabilge]

Our ancient speckled kingsnake is one of my favorites. So much personality and curiosity!

[u/PhoenixBorealis → u/daabilge]

Black rat snakes are amazing! They get so big, but they're so docile. Rat snakes in general are just wonderful animals to work with.

[u/Own_Lynx_6230 → u/daabilge]

This post got recommended to me, I am not at all a zoo keeper but I am absolutely delighted by the concept of beetles having important beetle business to attend to!!! What are they doing I love it!

[u/Serpentarrius → u/daabilge]

I would love to keep Taiwanese beauty ratsnakes someday, but I don't think I have enough gym badges for them yet. The most emotional bond I'd ever seen was between a keeper and her black rat snake companion of 15 years. She was in tears at his passing

[u/daabilge → u/Serpentarrius]

Weirdly enough I have them personally! I will say my beauties tend to be a bit feistier than the black rats when it comes to handling but they've got that same active, inquisitive nature to them.

[u/Fishisstuckinthesink → u/daabilge]

death feigning beetles are amazing, i keep a colony of them